We Are Ghosts
by IronEclipse
Summary: "Our hearts can never die. They are always entrusted to those who love us." Rukia whispered. The woman paused to suddenly catch her breath. "I give mine to you." ONESHOT


_'Tears shed for another person are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign of a pure heart.'  
__~Jose Harris_

* * *

The world had frozen. It had completely transformed into frost. There seemed to be an impossibly thick pane of glass separating Byakuya Kuchiki from the world. The blue haze danced across his vision relentlessly. It seemed to consume his heart and soul. The man could no longer see the chaos emanating around himself. The fuzzy blurs of people milling about at a frantic pace. The man could no longer hear the pained moans and innocent cries of both the living or the dead. He could only feel her. The young woman trapped helplessly within his arms.

Byakuya shut his eyes and tried to demolish the hopeless world around himself. The noble attempted to imagine a peaceful place. One with silence, sunshine, and serenity. An area filled with beauty and absolute calm. An image floated to the surface of his mind's eye, but vanished as soon as it arrived. It was destroyed. Fragmented. Shattered. Much like the icy wall of indifference the Captain strived to maintain. The wall that was now tumbling before his very feet.

A sound suddenly interrupted Lord Kuchiki from his internal battle. It was weak and nearly silent. Powerful, but sorrowful. It was a whimper. A small, pained, whimper.

"Brother?"

The noble squeezed his deep grey orbs in pain. The man clenched his calloused fingertips into the palms of his hands. Byakuya refused to accept reality. He refused to accept the severity of the situation. There was no possible way this could be occurring once again. Death was not the answer. Death was not the solution. It was merely a dead end, one the Captain suffered from endlessly. He would not watch her perish. He would not watch the woman fade away, much like his beloved Hisana. The man rejected the idea like a badly crumpled piece of paper.

"Byakuya?"

Her voice. His sister's heavily weakened voice. It simply made the noble's insides tremble. Why was she doing this to him? Why did he have to endure such sorrow? It was not fair. Not just. The laws of life should reward those who have suffered so greatly. Not kick them to the ground and bestow more impossible horror.

"Yes?" The lord whispered softly.

The man winced at the sound of his voice. It was broken. Completely ripped into pieces. It no longer resembled the man who appeared to have everything. The noble who was rich beyond compare. It only exposed an individual who had nothing. Nothing but the clothes on his back, and the memories of a old past life. A life that was completely lost to the wind.

"What-" The woman paused to take in a troubled breath. The effort shook her entire frame. "What are you doing?"

Byakuya sighed. His breath wavered and shook throughout the air. He did not wish to speak. He did not wish to further humiliate himself. The man had already failed at protecting his sister. Another mistake would only tear apart the sanity that remained in his mind.

"Bya-" Rukia broke out into a fit of coughing. Each tremor tore and ripped at the girl's petite frame. Crimson blood began to slowly creep through her velvety lips.

Lord Kuchiki closed his stormy orbs. The man did not know what to do. Healing his sister was not an option. There was no possible way her wounds would close with kido. Each jagged laceration was far too large. Byakuya also suspected Rukia was poisoned. The demon was a high level hollow, who seemed to specialize in the gruesome art of death. It would not at all be surprising.

"Byakuya." Rukia said faintly once again. Her voice was rough, much like the surface of sandpaper. "Why are you here?"

The noble's eyes slowly cracked open. He was in pain. Such horrible, time consuming pain. It tore at his insides and ripped apart his soul. Each jolt of agony stole a piece of the man. It took everything with a sly smile and a light hearted grin. It was cruel. It was nasty. It was unbelievably harsh. And yet, Byakuya was not mad. Not at all.

Byakuya knew he should be angry. The lord knew he should have been fuming with hate. But he was not. The man felt as if he were a blank slate. An empty book. All of his pages were slowly crumbling into dust. Slowly burning and fading away. Without Rukia, Byakuya had nothing. No family, no friends, no one to love. The noble only had himself, and that was something he dreaded with a passion.

"Byakuya?" Rukia asked again. "Are you there?"

The lord grimaced and clenched his fists into the fabric of his sister's clothes. He held on to her tightly, as if she was the only thing in his world. He could not let her perish. In fact, if Byakuya had a choice, he would quickly switch places with the girl.

Rukia suddenly whimpered. Her body shook with an indescribable wrath. Byakuya watched silently as her violet eyes closed with pain. A frown was plastered across her pale, taunt skin. It took everything in the noble to remain calm. It took everything in the man to refrain from screaming at the sky. She was dying, and Byakuya knew it.

"Silence, Rukia. I am here." The lord's voice cracked and trembled. "I am here."

Rukia's body seemed to relax at the sound of Byakuya's deep voice. She leaned against his muscular frame harshly. The noble could feel every laboured breath his sister took. Every whimper that tumbled out from her mouth. The man could feel the faint wetness of blood as it creeped onto his pristine uniform. The liquid was now pooling on the ground in a ugly circle. It's coppery sent creeped up the Captain's noise, slowly dulling his senses.

"But why?" Rukia slurred absently. The woman was slowly becoming weaker. Her limbs were giving in to the painful rigour of death.

"Silence." Byakuya stated firmly again. Each syllable he muttered was broken and torn.

The man did not want his sister to speak. Every word that fell from her lips cracked his icy wall. She was tearing him apart, and Byakuya was not prepared to break again. The noble was already dangling from shredded strings. He had attempted to fix himself long ago, but failed miserably. Hisana had left a gaping hole in his heart that could not be mended.

"Why?" Rukia muttered quietly.

The raven haired girl was ignoring Byakuya's commands. She wanted to know why her brother was by her side. The woman wished to know why he had intruded on her mission. Why he had swiftly entered her vision and killed every hollow in sight. Rukia wanted to understand her siblings need to protect.

Byakuya bowed his head in defeat. What was he supposed to say? That he knew something was going to go wrong? That he simply had a bad feeling about his sister's assignment? The noble closed his eyes and forced his negative thoughts to slip away. There was so much he wished to tell Rukia. So many things he wanted to say.

"It was imperative that I arrived here." Lord Kuchiki whispered quietly.

Rukia's violet orbs flickered open. They fluttered softly, much like a butterfly's wings on a bright summer day. She was frustrated. Angry. Byakuya knew that by peering into the depths of her beautiful eyes.

"Imperative? Do not tell me that your arrival was_ 'imperative'_. This was not your mission. Not your battle to fight." Rukia muttered softly.

The noble frowned at his sister's demanding tone. Why was she doing this to him? Rukia never spoke her mind. The woman had never asked for anything. Why in god's name did she want to know why he was there? Was his presence not enough?

"You need to save your strength. Please stop speaking." The lord said weakly. "Help is coming soon."

Rukia scowled. Her pale lips were twisted into an uncomfortable frown. Byakuya knew she was going to say something horrible. His sister was going to mutter something dark and down. It was painfully obvious. The short woman knew that death was upon her. She knew it as well as him.

"The fourth division will not arrive here on time." Rukia said faintly.

"Stop." Byakuya stated. His voice was steadily rising in anger.

The man did not want to hear his sister talk anymore. His control was fading with every word she whispered. Memories of Hisana were slowly creeping into his subconscious. Her peaceful face was all he was beginning to see. Rukia was becoming a mirror image of his late wife, and Byakuya could not stand it.

"My injuries are far too severe." The raven haired girl continued. Her blood soaked hands shifted onto her lap. The woman's finger tips weaved together in a practiced motion.

_"Stop."_ The lord repeated again, loudly. His icy wall was breaking. Large cracks were beginning to decorate it's surface. More memories flooded his mind. More ill thoughts plagued his brain.

"I am going to die. It's only a matter of time." Rukia finished quietly.

_"Enough!"_ The noble exclaimed. His grey orbs were wide with pain. Wide with anger. Byakuya's calloused finger tips pulled harshly on Rukia's blood soaked attire. The movement caused wide streaks of crimson to stain the man's brilliant white hoari.

Byakuya trembled as he peered into his sister's eyes. His body was betraying his most inner thoughts. His most private opinions. The man thought he would never crumble. Never crumble again. But here he was, twisting and tumbling into an abyss of pure terror. The lord was watching another loved one perish. The realization was almost too much to bare.

"Enough." Byakuya exclaimed again. His strong voice wavered like a fading flame. "You are not going to die. I will not allow that to occur."

Rukia sighed and looked at her brother softly. Another continuous streak of blood flowed from her mouth. It was as if a tap of water had suddenly turned on. It truly was a sad sight to behold. In a panic, Lord Kuchiki frowned. How much time did he have?

"Brother." Rukia muttered weakly. "You are being foolish. Everyone dies."

Another image of Hisana flashed across Byakuya's vision. It was in pristine condition. Every small detail was still the same, despite the time in which the memory was hidden. Her hair was still windblown and slightly curled. Her fragile smile was perfect, the curve never ending. His wife's eyes were still a wonderful purple, much like Rukia's. Poor, fragile, Rukia.

"No." Byakuya said softly. He forced the image of Hisana from his mind. "Enough people have died due to the failed actions of others. You will not be included with those who have perished."

The black haired shinigami groaned and tilted her head to the side. Thick strands of dark hair brushed the ground smoothly. The tips were quickly submerged in blood. The pool of red surrounding Byakuya had become quite large. It was the size of a child's pool, which clearly said something. Rukia's time was running out. The hourglass holding the sands of her life was falling apart. Fading into oblivion.

"Baka." Rukia murmured faintly. Her eyes squeezed shut with pain again. "No one failed me. I am dying because of my own mistakes. I miscalculated everything."

Lord Kuchiki sent his sister a disbelieving look. He quickly forced his gaze away from her mangled form. He did not care that she had insulted him. He did not care for her silly behaviour. The man only cared about her words. _'No one failed me'_. Indeed, no one failed her. No one except him.

Byakuya had been a horrible sibling. A terrible friend. An atrocious role model. Lord Kuchiki had been one of the most ghastly people in Rukia's life. He was certain that she hated him. Certain that the petite woman wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. She had made no mistake in asking why he was there. Rukia probably wanted someone else to be in Byakuya's place. Someone like Ichigo Kurosaki.

"No." The man breathed.

Rukia's eyes snapped open. Her bright orbs glared daggers into Byakuya's skin. "What are you talking about?"

In any normal circumstances, the noble would never have revealed his thoughts to Rukia. To anyone. However, this was far from any simple situation. The small warrior was fading away. Leaving his world. She deserved to know everything. She had earned a right to see a shard of his cold facade disappear.

"No one failed you. No one, but me." Byakuya divulged quietly.

The noble sighed. He could feel defeat seep into his veins like a disease. It was pecking away at his wall. Slowly, but surely breaking it down. Byakuya did not know when it would fall. Like Rukia's impending doom, it was only a matter of time.

The raven haired woman coughed suddenly. Everything about the movement was harsh and painful. Blood spurted from the girl's wounds and splattered across the pavement like paint. Byakuya suppressed a grimace. His insides screamed. She was leaving and he needed to do something desperately.

"How could you say that?" Rukia whispered. Her voice was laced with hurt and sadness.

Lord Kuchiki closed his eyes. He tried to feel the wind on his face. He tried to listen for any signs of the fourth division. The familiar yells and screams of his title. Sadly, nothing alerted his senses. Nothing at all. The man's sister was the only thing impacting his emotions. Rukia was the only thing he seemed to register.

"How?" Rukia repeated once again."How could you possibly think that?"

The woman's hands had somehow climbed up his arms. It was surprising, considering her shaky condition. Byakuya couldn't help but notice how they were covered in a gloomy crimson. Scratches also adorned the surface of her skin. The man tried to close his eyes, but was stopped immediately. Rukia's nails were slowly digging into his beautiful tan skin.

"H-h-how?" The woman whimpered loudly.

Byakuya breathed deeply. "I have been a failure to you in every possible way. In life, and now in your pending death. I should have considered the dangers of this mission, but I did not. I only placed you in danger. Your life is now on the line due to my mistake."

Rukia swiftly reached out and snatched Byakuya's chin within her own hand. The small girl was forcing the noble to stare into her eyes. It was an action that demanded attention. Something an elder would have done, not a young soul reaper.

"Don't ever say that. Ever. You have given me everything. A family. A name. A brother." Rukia paused for several moments. Her breathing was becoming ragged. "If anyone has failed, it is me. I have not been able to return anything to you. Anything."

Byakuya widened his eyes in shock. His tall frame wavered like a tower. His sister could not have been thinking that. How could she have burdened herself with that much expectation? It was simply impossible to comprehend. In a panic, the lord looked away from Rukia. He was changing. Hurting. Byakuya did not enjoy his feelings.

"No." Lord Kuchiki stated miserably. "That is incorrect."

Rukia suddenly squeezed his chin tightly. A fierce expression was dusted across her face. For a moment, the emotion washed away all the blood and gore that completely covered the woman. She was a fierce warrior once again. A strong, healthy, and beautiful shinigami. Not a weak and helpless creature.

"Do not tell me that I am wrong." Rukia stated angrily. Another bubble of red dripped down her chin. "You know it is true."

Byakuya narrowed his gaze. His heart thumped frantically in his chest. It pounded and thumped dramatically. Why was the petite woman trying to harm herself? Why was she attempting to carry a burden of guilt? Could she not just accept the truth? He was the one who was worthless. He was the one who was cold and icy. The man needed to pay Rukia back.

"You are being childish." Byakuya scolded quietly.

Rukia growled loudly. The sound was weak, but simple to understand. The slender fingers gripping his chin suddenly clenched in frustration. Each nail dug into his flesh lightly, only to send a warning. The small movement sent jolts of sorrow down Lord Kuchiki's back. Was this all the strength she now possessed? Was his sister truly vanishing into thin air? The thought quickly careened violently into Byakuya's walls of composure. Another thin crack swiftly consumed every blank surface.

"No." Rukia retorted firmly, her voice wavering slightly. "I am not being _'childish'_. I am only trying to prove-"

The petite shinigami was suddenly cut off. Not by her brother, or any mere outsider. Rukia was interrupted by pain. It traveled down the woman's body in vicious waves. Each swell of agony tore through the midget's body like wild fire. It tore, ripped, and consumed everything in its path. It was a gruesome caress, that was trying to rob the woman's heart.

"Rukia?' Lord Kuchiki asked sternly.

Dread was now seeping into the man's veins. His sister's hands had fallen off his face with a muffled thump. They were discarded across the ground in a messy fashion that disturbed the noble deeply. Her chest was rising and falling quickly, far too fast to even be considered normal. The woman's violet eyes were closed, and the expression on her face was one of absolute horror. It was happening. Death was occurring before his very eyes. Again.

"Rukia!" Byakuya shouted, his hands reached out to cradle his sibling's trembling form.

The noble's hands quickly shifted to Rukia's body, which was now twitching in an uncontrolled fashion. He placed his palms across his sister's chest and muttered words faintly under his breath. An incantation. One to a very high level kido spell. Despite his doubts, Byakuya needed to try administering aid to Rukia. He needed to do something fast. Time was slipping through his fingers like water, and there was no way to halt its progress.

Rukia groaned loudly. The sound teared through the noble's soul like a speeding train. It was a warning bell. One the noble had refused to notice at first. Now it seemed to plague his every thought. It was another mistake that Byakuya had made. Another failure in serving Rukia.

"Help is coming. Hold on." Byakuya muttered loudly.

The erie green glow of kido reflected across the midget's features. It made her skin appeared frail and old in the light. Thin and drawn. Byakuya could not believe how pale she was. The woman looked like a ghost. A ghost that was surely going to haunt him soon.

"Hold on." Lord Kuchiki repeated again. His voice cracked loudly.

The man could not understand how quickly he was changing. Byakuya was showing Rukia weakness. He was showing his sister the truth in his soul. He was showing her how much her cared. How much he genuinely loved and adored her. The noble winced at the realization. His composure was slipping. Memories of pain were seeping into his subconscious, and he could do absolutely nothing.

Every logical part of his mind screamed to fix Rukia. Everything howled at him to put her back together. Byakuya desperately craved to snatch her stings and put them back in place. He should have done that in the first place. It was the only possible solution. However, a tiny negative thought creeped into his mind. How could the noble mend Rukia, if he couldn't even repair himself?

The small woman's arms shook as the power of kido raced through her body. Moans and cries escaped through her lips, along with thick globs of bright crimson. Rukia was dying. This time, Byakuya was certain. The woman's body was rejecting his aid. Her spiritual energy was refusing assistance. Despite being a Captain level shinigami, Lord Kuchiki could do nothing to save his sister. Rukia had been correct, all along. The fourth division was going to be too late. Her doom was written in stone.

In a last attempt, Byakuya poured as much energy as he could muster into Rukia's weak body. His palms shone brightly in the gloom. The man had to narrow his eyes in an effort to minimize the light. He shouted cruel words in his head. He prayed for a miracle.

"Stop."

Byakuya forced more energy into his hands. He could feel the familiar tingle of power as it weaved its way through his veins. It was almost like a drug. Both smooth and intoxicating. The effect did not last long however. Sadness was slowly gaining control of the man's mind again. His arms and fingers shook with stress and terror.

"Stop."

Lord Kuchiki froze. Rukia's slender body had finally lapsed into silence. It was no longer shaking at an uncontrolled rate. In fact, the raven haired girl's hand was unsteadily blocking Byakuya's kido. She had also dared to speak. Her voice was so terribly silent. It seemed to be a whisper in the unwanted breeze. The noble would never have noticed anything, if the woman had not brushed his skin.

"Please stop." Rukia whispered, her fingers creating a shield against her torn flesh. "Don't...waste...your energy."

Byakuya was still frozen. His arms were still outstretched in front of his muscular body. The green glow of healing power was continuing to flow throughout his fingers. His energy was not helping Rukia at all. It did not matter if he willed his spell to work. Everything he wanted was clearly impossible.

Lord Kuchiki's breath caught in his throat. His stormy eyes burned like fire. "But-"

"N...n...no." Rukia breathed quietly.

Byakuya blinked several times. A hazy blur was beginning to blossom across his vision. The world was spinning. It was twisting and turning at an unbelievable pace. Was his sister accepting death? Was she giving up? The noble violently shook his head. His black locks tumbled around swiftly. No. Rukia was a Kuchiki. The woman knew how to behave. She knew she needed to fight.

"The fourth division will soon arrive. You will continue to fight." Byakuya retorted softly.

A rough laugh slipped out of Rukia's mouth. The noise was similar to that of a hollow. Dark and completely depressing.

"Do...do you not...remember what I told you?" The petite girl said. "I am going to die."

At the mention of death, the noble clenched his fists above the woman's frail form. That was the second time she had muttered that sentence. The second time, Rukia had fearlessly stated the obvious. Was she oblivious to the meaning of her words? Did the woman know how important she was to soul society? To her friends? How could she possibly dismiss any chance of survival! How could the midget do this to him?

"Rukia..." Byakuya declared in warning. The man did not wish to hear his sister be so negative. She had a chance. A small chance. Only if the fourth division arrived in time.

"I think that...you are now...being..childish." Rukia stated with difficulty. The woman's breathing spiked once again. Her chest heaved harshly, and an abundance of crimson trailed down her flesh. It was like her body was crying. Pouring out feelings in an unwanted mess.

"No." Lord Kuchiki said blankly. His grey eyes burned holes into Rukia's broken form. "Death-"

"Death...is a natural part of life. I have accepted my fate." Rukia breathed softly. "The duty of a shinigami is to guard and...protect. I have completed my mission."

Byakuya frowned and looked at the raven haired girl. His face was contorted into a pained expression. He knew that soul reapers had a strict code to follow. They fought for balance, justice, and peace. Shinigami were honourable warriors who followed the code. They lived, breathed, and died for soul society. Their souls would eventually blend into to walls of life. The walls that surrounded the seireitei.

Sadly, the noble followed the laws of his people. He believed that fighting and maintaining the balance was crucial. What Rukia said was completely true. She had completed her mission. The woman had battled and lost. She had met the expectation placed for all soul reapers. Die for the better of everything.

Despite his beliefs, Byakuya was conflicted. His emotions swam throughout the air languidly. Much like swans gracefully gliding across a plane of water. Did Rukia have to die for the success of her job? Did she have to perish and fade away? The noble felt his heart crack in his chest. He was being selfish. Rude. His sister deserved to succumb to darkness on her own terms. She deserved to live on without pain.

An image of Hisana flashed across his mind's eye. The picture revived more memories, ones Byakuya wished to forget. Long ago, the noble had made a promise. A deep, life changing promise. He had sworn to find and protect Rukia. He had assured his wife that her life would be treasured and admired. Not tossed aside and discarded. Poison or not, Lord Kuchiki was going to stand by her side. He was going to make his sibling wait for more practical assistance.

"You are not dead yet." Byakuya stated surely. His voice cracked slightly.

Rukia quietly cried out in agony. The woman's body twitched violently again. However, this time the shaking only occurred for several moments. It abruptly stopped in a gruesome manner. One that was absolutely horrific. Byakuya sighed and tried to control the raging emotions in his chest. His hands swiftly moved to cradle the small girl's face. Her features were sharp and angled. Beautiful and womanly, nothing compared to the child she used to be.

"I am...sorry." Rukia confessed. Crimson bubbled to the surface of her lips. "For...everything."

Byakuya tilted his head in confusion. His black hair fell away from his shoulders, and caressed his sister's pearly white face. Why was she ignoring his last statement? Why was she apologizing? The warrior had nothing to admit to. Nothing to possibly feel guilty for. Lord Kuchiki's thoughts abruptly slowed down. It was as if they were being dipped in a sticky glue. Had he not already told his sibling this? Did the man not chastise Rukia for being so naive?

"Do not be foolish, sister." Byakuya commented dryly. "You have done nothing."

Although the noble had sounded rather serious, Rukia did not react at all. The petite woman did not bat an eyelash, or angrily growl with annoyance. She only ignored Byakuya and continued speaking quietly.

"Thank you for everything you have given me. I...appreciate it."

Lord Kuchiki narrowed his stormy, grey orbs in suspicion. He did not know what she was trying to do. A voice deep inside his head whispered something, but he decided to ignore it. His inner conscience meant nothing to him now. All Byakuya cared about was the words slipping through Rukia lips. His ears were only trained on every syllable popping out of her mouth. Every other sound was discarded and unimportant.

"Thank you for trying to love me...like her." Rukia whispered in a hushed tone.

Byakuya's heart shattered. Exploded. Broke. The raven haired woman was saying goodbye. She was attempting to shut down and give up. Rukia wanted to recede like an outgoing tide. She wanted to slowly waste away like a dead battery. The noble closed his eyes and held onto her tighter. His fingers brushed against the midget's wounded shoulders. She was being completely miserable.

"Rukia, enough. Save your energy, be strong. The fourth division is going to arrive." Byakuya declared loudly. He shook his head fiercely when finished. He was beginning to have difficulty believing his own statements.

The young shinigami continued to talk. Her voice was fading quickly now. Every breath she took was a struggle, every word she formed was nearly silent. It took everything in the noble to remain passive. He needed to control his temper and the sudden urge to panic.

"N...n...no." Rukia's voice trembled. "It's time."

That sentence was enough to tear down every wall in Byakuya's world. He could feel the pounding on his inner wall grow steadily stronger with every second. It was horrible. Unbearable. Every time her breathed, pain lanced down his chest. Lord Kuchiki honestly couldn't decipher the feeling. All he knew was that it was similar to fire, frost, and ice. It seemed to consume both his heart and soul.

"Brother..." Rukia rasped quietly.

The woman appeared to be quite calm, despite the fact she was sprawled in her own blood. Her arms were strewn carelessly upon the cold concrete. Rukia's legs were twisted into an impossible position. The woman's head was the only appendage that was relatively unscathed. Only streaks of gore lined her face. Her lips were stained a ruby red, and the girl's eyes were dim. Her purple orbs were no longer a glowing furnace of emotion. They were drained and completely devoid of life.

Byakuya did not answer his sibling. He remained silent.

"I had a...mentor once." Rukia muttered. The woman's eyes were slowly becoming a dull, lifeless grey. "He told me that our hearts are in front of us. Floating...in...the air."

Byakuya shut his eyes. In any other circumstance, the noble would have told Rukia she was being irrational. Ridiculous. Sadly, the man knew better. The petite girl was still coherent. Alive. Her mind was working in perfect order despite her dying state.

"He said that hearts...are born between people. Forged through...friendship." Rukia murmured quietly. The woman paused to catch her breath. "Our hearts can never die. They are entrusted to those who love us."

Lord Kuchiki opened his dark orbs. He peered at his sister's face. She was staring off into space. Her gaze was looking at nothing in particular. She seemed to be captured with the sky. The wind. Light. Everything but him. It hurt to be avoided, but Byakuya knew better. He did not want to attract Rukia's attention. Her violet eyes would only rip his heart away from his body. Completely devour his soul.

"I entrust...mine to...you." Rukia stated gently.

Byakuya swiftly looked at the raven haired girl. He could not believe what she was saying. Her heart was his? What about Kurosaki? In shock, the noble's fingers twitched. Everything about this situation was wrong. Where was squad four? Were they coming at all?

"Rukia, stop." Byakuya whispered lightly. "Stop."

Despite the man's protests, the young shinigami did not cease. Her cold hands reached up and snatched Byakuya's rough finger tips. A small smile dusted across Rukia's face. It was sly, and light hearted. Almost care free. After several long moments, her violet orbs finally collided with Lord Kuchiki's tall form. They were filled with peace, an emotion the noble was not feeling at all.

"My heart is yours. Keep...care..."

The woman never got to finish her sentence. The wind stole her last breath. In confusion, Byakuya stilled his movements. Rukia was not breathing. Her fragile frame was not moving at all. The girl's spirit energy had completely vanished.

She was dead. Lord Kuchiki's sister was dead.

At that very thought, Byakuya lost control. His ice cold walls shattered and tumbled onto the ground with a muffled thump. The man now had nothing to hide. All of his old wounds were open and bleeding. Memories tore through his skull like waves crashing onto an abandoned shore. Hisana. Rukia. Lord Kuchiki had failed them both. He could never forgive himself. Byakuya bent over in pain. Jolts of agony ripped through his system like a disease. He was absolutely horrible. He was a menace. A shame to his name.

The man cradled Rukia like a new born child. Her broken body was all the man could sense. It was all the man could see. Blood was everywhere. There was not one surface it now decorated. Byakuya was covered from head to toe in the crimson gore. His Captain's robes were completely destroyed. There was no possible way he could ever use them again.

Lord Kuchiki suddenly looked up at the sky. The man cursed the heavens. He cursed the Gotei Thirteen. He swore at his unbelievable bad luck. There was no way he could ever love again. Everyone Byakuya loved died. Rukia. Hisana. They both paid the price for caring about him.

Byakuya did not know how long he sat on the cold ground. The noble did not care in the slightest. He only knew that moving was hopeless. That trying to stitch himself back together was a worthless idea. It would never work. Not in a million years. Lord Kuchiki now had no heart. It was gone. All that remained was a large gaping hole. A hole that could never be mended again.

Time slowly trickled by. Tears were steadily falling from Byakuya's face. After all his pain, the man had only come to one conclusion. One small and brittle conclusion.

That he had died. Along with Rukia, and his beautiful wife.

* * *

**Hello FanFiction! As you guys can easily see, this story is pretty depressing. Truthfully, I do not know what compelled me to write it. For some reason I just felt the need to release this. However, I do believe that more light needs to be shed on Byakuya. He is quite a complex character who deserves to be reflected upon. I apologize if this seemed a_ little_ OOC. Kuchiki can be a very difficult to write. His personality is quite complicated sometimes.**

**Anyways, thank you for reading everyone! This is my first one-shot! Please tell me what you think! Feedback is always appreciated! :)**

**~IronEclipse**


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